Email Tips For Golfers: Impress College Coaches

how to email college golf coaches

Emailing college golf coaches can be intimidating, but it's a crucial step in the recruiting process. College coaches receive hundreds of emails from prospective players, so it's important to make a good first impression and stand out from the crowd. To increase your chances of a response, craft a concise, personalised email with a catchy subject line. This should include an introduction, your golf experience, and why you want to join that particular school and coach's team. Be sure to attach any relevant videos, schedules, and documents, and consider including your NCSA profile link. Avoid sending emails on Mondays and during the golf season, when coaches are likely to be busy with travel and tournaments.

Characteristics Values
Number of recipients Email both the head coach and the assistant coach individually.
Time of sending Avoid Mondays and season time. Best times are summer and winter months.
Subject line Attention-grabbing, short and sweet, ideally between 50-75 characters.
Content Personalized, concise, data-heavy, including recent tournament results, GPA, and test scores.
Attachments Videos, schedules, documents, and current coaches' contact information.
Tone Express interest in being recruited and provide concrete details.
Call to action Ask questions that would trigger a response from the coach.
Greeting "Dear Coach (last name) and Coach (last name)"
Signature Full name, HS graduation year
Email address lookup School's athletic website, roster or coach info, general athletic directory, staff directory for the athletic department.

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Subject line and content

The subject line of your email is crucial in catching the coach's attention. Keep it short and sweet, between 50-75 characters. It should include your full name and high school graduation year. For example, "Chris Noble – 2019 Golfer from MI". You could also include some of your best results, such as your tournament average or GPA.

In the email, address both the head coach and the assistant coach by name, as the assistant coach often deals with preliminary recruiting matters. Make sure to personalise each email, showing that you've done your research on the school and golf team. Avoid sending the same template to multiple schools.

The body of your email should be concise, around 3 paragraphs long. Begin by introducing yourself and providing some of your best results or highlights. Include any recent tournament results, your GPA, and SAT or ACT scores. You could also attach or link to any videos, schedules, or documents that showcase your abilities.

In the second paragraph, explain why you want to attend that school specifically. Mention factors such as location, size, and the courses offered. Detail why you would be a good fit for their golf team, referencing their current roster or scoring averages.

Finally, thank the coaches for their time and ask a question to prompt a response. For example, you could ask about the evaluation criteria for incoming freshmen or the possibility of an official visit. Avoid leaving the email open-ended, and always give the coach a reason to respond.

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Timing

The timing of your emails to college golf coaches is important. Coaches are busy people, and you want to maximise the chances of your email being read and responded to.

Firstly, it's worth noting that you can reach out to a coach at any time, no matter what year of high school you're in. However, there are rules about when they can contact you back. NCAA Division 1 coaches cannot proactively contact you until September 1st of your junior year, for example.

The best time of year to send emails is during the summer and winter months. Coaches will have more time on their hands and won't be travelling to tournaments every week as they would during the golf season (fall and spring). During the golf season, coaches are at their busiest, so it's best to avoid emailing them at this time.

When it comes to the day of the week, Mondays are best avoided. Coaches will often be catching up on weekend emails and admin tasks, so it's better to wait until mid-week. Emails sent between 4-7 pm local time in the evenings are also said to be preferable.

It's also a good idea to check the coach's practice times. Ask them when they practice during the week so you know when they'll be available to read your email.

Finally, while email timing isn't as critical as phone calls or texts, it's best not to send an email after midnight. This can make coaches wonder why you're up at such an odd hour, even if they don't see the timestamp until the morning.

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Personalisation

College coaches receive hundreds or even thousands of emails from recruits, so it's important to write a clear, personalised email with a subject line that catches their eye.

The subject line should ideally be short and sweet, between 50-75 characters. Make sure to include your name, your graduation year, and a few key stats. For example: "Chris Noble – 2019 Golfer from MI – Video – 74 Tourn. Avg. – 793 JGS – 3.89 GPA".

In the body of the email, introduce yourself and provide a couple of highlights or results that you're proud of. Be sure to mention any athletic accomplishments, academic achievements, and noteworthy extracurricular activities. You can also include your high school, location, sports position, and graduation year.

The next paragraph should answer the question: why do you want to go to that school? Be specific and show that you've done your research. Mention the location, size, and what you want to study. Also, explain why you would be a good fit for their golf team. Use their current roster or results/scoring averages to your advantage.

Finally, thank the coach for their time and ask a question that would trigger a response. For example, you could ask about their evaluation criteria for incoming freshmen or if there's an opportunity to visit the school.

Remember, don't fall into the trap of using the same email template for all your applications. Personalise and customise each email to show that you're genuinely interested in that particular school and golf team.

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Elevator pitch

Subject Line

The subject line should be short and sweet, ideally between 50-75 characters. It should be personalised and catchy, with a view to making the coach want to open the email. Consider including your name, graduation year, and some key stats. For example, "Chris Noble – 2019 Golfer from MI – Video – 74 Tourn. Avg. – 793 JGS – 3.89 GPA".

Introduce yourself and give a couple of highlights or results/finishes that you are proud of. Make sure to include any recent tournament results from the last year, as well as your GPA and scores from any SAT or ACT tests. This will be data-heavy, but that's a good thing—it's the best way to demonstrate your ability.

Explain why you want to go to that school and what you can bring to the golf team. Show that you've done your research and that you know about the school and the team. Be specific about why you would be a good fit for their programme.

Ask Questions

Thank the coach for their time and ask some questions to trigger a response. For example, ask about their evaluation criteria or whether there would be an opportunity for an official visit. The key is to give the coach a reason to respond to your email.

Personalise

Avoid sending the same email to multiple coaches. Take the time to personalise each email to show that you are genuinely interested in that particular school and programme. Include the coach's name and specific details about the school or team.

Timing

The best time of year to send emails to college golf coaches is during the summer and winter months, as coaches will have more time to deal with recruiting matters. Avoid sending emails on Mondays, as coaches will often be catching up on emails from the weekend. It's also best to avoid emailing coaches when they are in season, as they will be busy travelling to tournaments.

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Follow-up

Following Up

Following up with college golf coaches is a great way to show your continued interest and keep yourself on their radar. Here are some tips for effective follow-up:

  • Persistence and Thoughtfulness: Be persistent in your communication, but also thoughtful. Sending updates and highlighting your progress or accomplishments can be a great way to break through the clutter and catch the coach's attention. It shows your dedication and improvement over time.
  • Timing: Pay attention to the timing of your follow-up emails. Avoid following up during the busy golf seasons, typically fall and spring, when coaches are travelling to tournaments and have less time for recruiting. Summer and winter months are generally better for sending emails as coaches may have more time for recruiting matters.
  • Personalization: Continue to personalize your follow-up emails for each coach. Mention specific accomplishments or improvements since your last communication and express your continued interest in their program. Show that you are actively engaged and have done your research.
  • Utilize Multiple Communication Channels: In addition to email, you can utilize other communication channels such as phone calls and social media. If a coach has followed you on social media, it's a good sign that they want to get to know you better. Ensure your online presence reflects positively on your character and work ethic. You can also follow them back and engage with their team's accounts to demonstrate your interest.
  • Ask Open-Ended Questions: Include open-ended questions in your follow-up emails that encourage a response from the coach. For example, ask about their evaluation criteria for incoming freshmen or express your interest in visiting the school and meeting the team in person.
  • Provide Updates: Share your tournament schedule and results in your follow-up emails. This allows coaches to plan and potentially attend your events. You can also provide context to your results by including relevant stats or a brief analysis of what you learned from each event.
  • Phone Communication: If you have established email communication, consider setting up phone calls to get to know the coach better. Avoid cold-calling and always use email or text to set up calls first. Stay up to date with the team's schedule to avoid reaching out during their travel or competitions.
  • Respect NCAA Rules: Remember to follow the NCAA rules and timelines for coach communication, especially regarding when coaches can proactively contact you. These rules vary depending on the division, so ensure you are familiar with the regulations for your specific division.

Remember, coaches receive a high volume of emails from prospective players. Your follow-up emails should be thoughtful, personalized, and demonstrate your continued interest and progress.

Frequently asked questions

Most college golf coaches will have their email address listed on their school's website. You can usually find it by clicking on the coach's bio under the roster tab, or by searching for their name in the staff directory for the athletic department.

Avoid Mondays, as coaches will be catching up on their emails from the weekend. It's best to send your email mid-week. The summer and winter months are also preferable to the fall and spring, as coaches will have more time on their hands and won't be travelling to golf tournaments.

Your email should be concise and personalised. Include your name, where you're from, why you want to attend that school, and how you could contribute to their golf team. It's also a good idea to include your recent tournament results, GPA, and SAT or ACT scores. You could also attach your golf resume and schedule, so the coach can plan to watch you play.

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